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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27219868">Forming a Murder</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/SatedThirst/pseuds/SatedThirst'>SatedThirst</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Persona 5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Akechi Goro Lives, Animal Instincts, Animal Transformation, Crows, F/F, F/M, I Believe I Can Fly, M/M, Mementos (Persona 5), Murder, Or not, Other, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, no beta we die like men, pretty bird - Freeform, put that thing back where it came from or so help me, questionable eating habits</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 20:08:19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>7,854</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27219868</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/SatedThirst/pseuds/SatedThirst</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>When a code name is taken a bit too literally, Akechi finds himself in the body of a bird. Between learning to fly, getting past the local feral cat colony, and eating... questionable substances, sometimes Goro thinks death might have been preferable.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Akechi Goro/Kurusu Akira, Akechi Goro/Persona 5 Protagonist</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>89</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Marigolds Discord Recs</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Mementos Mori</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>First work in the Persona 5 fandom! I hope you enjoy the ride. (Also Unus Annus)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The personality refused to be absorbed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The collective was frustrated.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Black tendrils wrapped around the thing that was lodged into its being, poking and prodding and rolling it about.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Stop it.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It stopped but didn’t draw back. It couldn’t completely anyway. The personality was so firmly wedged inside the collective that separation at this stage was impossible.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Whatever. Just leave me alone, I’m done.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Well that was quite unfeasible. This personality was very much like a tumor, a benign tumor, but a tumor nonetheless. The collective could and would survive with the foreign personality lodged inside it, but it was uncomfortable.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The collective didn’t like to be uncomfortable.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Oh, you poor thing.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The collective understood sarcasm but didn’t appreciate it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Well I don’t appreciate you trying to absorb me. I’m not a cognition.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That much was clear. The collective would have apologized if it had something to be sorry for.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>I don’t want your apology, nor anyone else’s.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Well that made things simpler.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The collective prodded the personality again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>I said to stop it!</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But how would the collective get the personality </span>
  <em>
    <span>out </span>
  </em>
  <span>if they didn’t do a little prodding?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>You can’t, imbecile. I’m dead, I’m not going anywhere.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The force of belief was so strong it made it so, and the collective found its tumor even more firmly lodged in its depths. Really the personality was quite lively for a dead thing, but what did the collective know, it wasn’t really a living thing in the traditional sense anyway.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As it was if the personality refused to be absorbed, expulsion was the only solution for them both.  Really the personality could stand to be a bit more grateful that the collective was open to negotiations with a tumor.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A spike of rage undercut with sorrow shot through the personality, but it said nothing.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The collective prodded it again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>What part of leave me alone didn’t you understand?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The collective understood it perfectly well, but it had to gather data so the personality could be dislodged and placed into the other reality. Wouldn’t that be much nicer than being an actual lump inside the collective?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>What other reality?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The one filled with all the other personalities, the origin of the shadows and cognitions it housed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>You can send me back to the real world?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Really what WAS real?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Don’t get started on metaphysical bullshit right now. Answer the question, can you send me back to where I came from?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Well why wouldn’t they be able to? If it could be conceived, it was possible for the collective to achieve it! Especially since it was out of other options. Would it really be so bad to be absorbed into the collective? That would be much easier.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Hell no. What even are you?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The collective. Really, they thought they were being quite clear about that. Perhaps this personality was more damaged than originally thought.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Fuck you.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The collective ignored that; it was above petty vulgarity.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Answer me! What are you?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The collective.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The personality flared with annoyance and said a few other things that didn’t bear repeating, nor were anatomically possible for most.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>While the personality went on a tirade, the collective drew from its combined memory to find an answer that would please its tumor. Ah, there it was, the collective's alternate name. Mementos.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That brought the personality up short.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Wait, Mementos is a place not… whatever you are.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The collective could be both, it was a being of pure cognition after all. A reality all onto itself.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>But this can’t be Mementos, I can’t summon my persona I-</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It broke off in confusion, squirming in discomfort.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The collective considered this.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was aware of the other beings that sometimes liked to traverse its heart, tolerated them even if they didn’t stay too long. Was this personality one of them?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>I used to be, but I was foolish.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The personality sounded so sad, pain and regret flaring like a supernova.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The collective reached out again to softly stroke the soul embedded inside it. Really calling the personality a tumor was a bit rude. Having a foreign entity wedged inside its body was deeply uncomfortable, but the collective could have been gentler.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>I don’t need your pity.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>This wasn’t pity, this was an apology of sorts yes, but not pity. The collective WAS a collective of pure personality, it knew emotion, was fueled by it even, so it would know whether it was pitying something or not.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sardonic amusement filled the personality.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Fair enough.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Now that that was established, the collective could start the process of putting the personality back where it belonged, if the not tumor was willing.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>You mentioned that before. How?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The process really couldn’t be put into words, there were no words for it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>I want to understand.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Well normally should someone of the other realm die in the body of the collective, their body would be expelled, and the soul released.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>But I did die.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>No, that wasn’t quite right.  From what the collective knew, the personality was still on the edge of death when the area they had been dying in had collapsed completely without warning. This collapse led to the area being reabsorbed into the collective with two living things still lodged inside.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Two?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yes. The other was very much alive when the collapse happened, therefore they were expelled aggressively but naturally. The personality that was left behind however was on the brink of death, and a wildcard on top of it all. Things were never simple when a wildcard was involved.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>A… wildcard?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A wildcard. One who holds a piece of the collective, of mementos, inside them. It is why multiple shadows were drawn to them. They were unique and therefore couldn’t truly die in the traditional sense while in the depths of the collectives’ body.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They could be absorbed though and sent to the Velvet Room.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>What the fuck is a Velvet Room?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Well that was a loaded question. Shouldn’t a wildcard know what the velvet room was? Had the caretakers abandoned this one?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bitter laughter.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>It wouldn’t be the first time someone has abandoned me.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Well now that wasn’t good at all. They may have only known one another for a few minutes but the collective was growing quite attached. Both in the literal and figurative sense.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>…thanks, I guess.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Well then if the caretakers refused to do their job by this one, then the collective would. Really how hard could it be to resurrect one personality?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Resurrect? I thought you said I wasn’t dead.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Well that was true inside the collective, but the fatal wound was still there. Once expelled, the personality would most likely die if it weren’t repaired.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>And you were going to expel me knowing that?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>To be fair, the personality WAS lodged like an aforementioned growth inside its body and causing QUITE A BIT of discomfort. Kindness took a back seat to the unfamiliar pain that the collective wanted gone. But that was in the past.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>That was five minutes ago!</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>An eternity really.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Five. Minutes.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Time was relative.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>For fucks sake-</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Honestly, time was meaningless in the grand scheme of things, a construct that the collective only knew about because it was made of personalities that were obsessed with it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>I’m starting to wish I were dead.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Well that would make the collective’s life easier, but it was too late to take that route out, the personality was under the collective’s care now. They would be looked after properly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The personality didn’t know what to say to that.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The collective reached out again, wrapping itself firmly around the soul and the personality allowed it with only a small grumble of discomfort. They tasted the strongest memories the personality had, shuffled through various emotions and thoughts, and finally settled on a plan of action.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>This little Crow would fly free.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Crow flexed dramatically as he was Named. Form starting to take shape around the identity that the collective had impressed upon his soul. Wings and feathers, a beak and claws, a high croaking voice, blood and bone and breath-</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Wait! This is wrong this isn’t-!</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Good luck little bird. Don’t forget to visit.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With that the collective freed the newly formed soul into the other realm.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was lonely without the personality.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The collective wondered if this is what new mothers felt like after giving birth.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Empty, without the life struggling inside.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The collective checked the universal memory to see if that was an accurate feeling only to come back with a vague ‘Sometimes’.   </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They hoped their little bird would come back to visit their dear old mother sometime.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Found Flock</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>His body felt </span>
  <em>
    <span>wrong.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh my, look at the state of this poor fellow!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A voice, gentle, older, male.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Goro froze and kept his eyes shut tight.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Could it have been glass?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t see any around.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Two more voices. Younger. Perhaps around his age?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah you wouldn’t bird brain~”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>What was that you overgrown feather duster?</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He had to keep himself from flinching away as the two boys seemed to </span>
  <em>
    <span>screech </span>
  </em>
  <span>and scuffle somewhere close to his head.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“…I think he’s very handsome.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A softer voice whispered, just loud enough for Goro to hear over the fighting.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Female. Young.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Boys!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The first voice croaked, and the scuffling stooped with one of the “boys” letting out an alarmed “Eep!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That is enough,” the older male went on. “We need to attend to this one here while we have the opportunity.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“-Sorry Boss.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Boss? A chill went down Goro’s spine. Were they yakuza? Could Shido’s men have found him? Before he could come up with a plan of action, he felt someone run something long and hard along his back, his splayed… arms? His... hair?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Everything felt so strange.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He can be moved,” the female said finally.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We taking him to the Murder?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes, that would be for the best.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They were going to MURDER him?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Not without a fight. He thought grimly, gathering what wits he had left and prepared to lunge.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It wouldn’t be his most graceful move, but he had surprise on his side.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He heard light footsteps approach, and when they were almost on him, Goro sprung.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Or he </span>
  <em>
    <span>tried </span>
  </em>
  <span>to spring.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Really it was more of an aggressive stumble forward and he ended up crashing into a body covered in glossy black feathers.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He blinked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Feathers?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Woah!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Easy lad!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“…So fast!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Talking giant birds.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Talking </span>
  <em>
    <span>crows.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They all stared at him; feathers ruffled.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He stared back, but it was a tricky thing. He had to keep twisting his head to keep them all in view.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finally, the smallest among them carefully hopped closer to him, exaggerating every movement as if trying to keep him from spooking.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Too late. </span>
  </em>
  <span>He thought hysterically.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s ok, we’re friendly.” The small female soothed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You were talking about </span>
  <em>
    <span>murder.</span>
  </em>
  <span>” He squawked back, mouth clicking aggressively.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Human mouths don’t click- </span>
  </em>
  <span>he could feel every hair- every feather!?!- stand on end.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And suddenly, he remembered.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Letting out an inhuman squawk (Because he WASN’T human) he fell tail over beak trying to back away. With more alarmed caws he tried to right himself, flapping massive blue-black wings to try and find his balance. But it wasn’t working, he thought in alarm. His synapses were not made for this body, nothing was connected right, he was helpless.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey take it easy!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>One of the males, the one he had crashed into, yelped.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“DON’T TELL ME TO TAKE IT EASY!” Goro screeched back, causing all the birds to flinch away except for the largest male.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>This bird was older than the rest, dark eyes sharp as he looked Goro over first with one eye, then the other. Seeming to come to some sort of decision the large crow walked over, and Goro snapped at him like a wild animal.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Peace little bird, it’s going to be ok, no one is going to hurt you,” he crooned, and something in Goro’s chest tightened. The tone was warm, fatherly even. Goro had killed before just to get the semblance. “You are very young aren’t you. Are you all alone?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span> Goro started to shiver, and he didn’t know what compelled him, but he answered-</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes.” He breathed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The crow carefully entered Goro’s space, moving slowly enough to give Goro time to move away.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“For how long?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“…For as long as I can remember.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>At that the larger bird leaned even closer and drew his beak over Goro’s fluffed feathers, the motion clearly practiced, and the primal part of his brain found it soothing.  Goro flinched but didn’t protest when the small female crept over and stared a similar motion on his other side. If he had been human, he would have been red as a tomato. Their clever beaks caressed and scratched every inch of him, plucking bits of this and that from between his feathers.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The touch starved boy keened under the attention.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The near adult wanted to hide his head in shame.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The crows finally stopped when Goro’s shivers finally let up.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“There now, that’s much better isn’t it?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Goro bobbed his head.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Very good, do you think you are well enough to fly?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I- I don’t think so.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He kept it to himself that he had never flown before, and the feeling of inadequacy was strong enough to choke him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Damn,” one of the two younger males grumbled without real heat. “I was hoping we wouldn’t have to haul you back to the roost.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Goro felt his feathers start to rise.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Stop complaining, you are going to stress him out again!” The female snapped.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They all stared at her in surprise.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>At the sudden attention she bobbed her head nervously and preened at her chest feathers.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Just… just do your jobs.” She grumbled and with a leap she was in the air.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The two younger crows watched her go, wide eyed, and the eldest gave an odd trilling chortle.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well lads, you heard her. Let’s get off the ground.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>--</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Goro clung to the branch below him for dear life.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So, help him he was never moving from this spot for the rest of his godforsaken existence.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Aww come on Akechi, it wasn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>that </span>
  </em>
  <span>bad.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Goro glared in response.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>One of the two young males, Yami as he had introduced himself, made a sympathetic kind of noise and settled closer than Goro was comfortable with. The former human might have chased the other male away if it wouldn’t have gone against his newfound resolve to </span>
  <em>
    <span>never leave this spot.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Some of his annoyance must have shown as Yami scooted further down their shared branch.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Prickly thing, aren’t you?” He teased.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Unless you’re a pretty female with a clever beak.” His brother, Kami, croaked from Goro’s other side.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Or a grizzly old mob veteran!” Yami cawed gleefully.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Such fascinating tastes you have newbie.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Goro let out a violent hiss that made both brothers’ cackle.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I wouldn’t want to be around you fluff for brains either if you had dropped me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The newcomer, the female (“Faith,” she had whispered to him. “My name is Faith.”) glared at the two.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yami fluffed up in embarrassment.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well we caught him in the end yeah?” Kami muttered.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Goro shuddered and tightened his wings against his body.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Faith gave an angry sounding bark and flew at Kami, who nimbly dodged.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ok, ok we’re going. Geeze you never used to be this aggressive.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Have fun with your boyfriend!” Yami chimed in and both brothers flew off to another branch.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Faith glared after them for a moment before smoothing her feathers out and turning to Goro.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sorry about them, they are troublemakers but not bad people at heart.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s fine.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Next time just give them a firm peck between the eyes, that usually works for me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Goro wanted to smile, but that was quite impossible to do with a beak.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I will keep that in mind.” He said as warmly as he could.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They sat in companionable silence for a minute.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Akechi,” she stared, shifting her weight between her feet. “How did you end up on the ground like that?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He stiffened.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t mean to pry!” She quickly added. “But we have to know if it was just an accident or if there is something dangerous to the Murder.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Goro sighed and felt a sudden headache. “It wasn’t anything that would be dangerous to anyone here.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She shifted her weight again, looked at him first with one eye then the other. What she was looking for, he had no clue.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“…But is it dangerous to you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He blinked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Was he in any danger?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Shido would be looking for him, but as a man and not as a bird. The Phantom Thieves thought him dead. Mementos even had admitted a fondness for him before it let him go. In the wrong shape yes, but it seemed not to house any ill will.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>No one was looking for him, and even if they did, they would never find him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He dipped his head as years of stress suddenly disappeared.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Not anymore.” He breathed, somewhat stunned. “Not unless I try and go back.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>If such a thing was even possible.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Did he even want to go back?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Really what did he even have to return to?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A sudden memory of intense grey eyes made his chest hurt.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Akira.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His rival.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They had made a promise.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Then don’t!” Faith’s voice interrupted his thoughts. “You can stay here with us.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He opened his beak, closed it, opened it again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t think you have to decide now,” she added, leaning close to him. “But consider it? Our kind are meant to flock together. It is our strength.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But you don’t even know me. I could be dangerous.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She let out a small laughing caw.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Akechi. You can’t even fly.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Not for the moment.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Another laugh.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“If you have ever flown a day in your life I would be surprised. You have no instinct for it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He felt hot under his feathers.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“…how did you know.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The look she gave him was shrewd.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“When Yami dropped you, you clearly had no clue what to do. Boss and I were the only ones who noticed though.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He dipped his head.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s not too late to take back your offer then,” he said, trying to keep his tone light. “I will only hold you back as a flightless bird.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She very firmly pecked him in the forehead.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He let out an indignant squawk.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What the fuck was that for!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Being stupid. You just need a teacher, and I happen to know a few very good ones.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And what exactly do you want in return for all this help?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So far, they had asked for nothing for their assistance. After they had picked him up (And dropped him once) they had fed him (He didn’t bother asking what it was for his own mental health) and made sure he was secure in their roosting tree. He had taken their time and resources, asking for more before he even knew what they expected of him was just asking for trouble.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Faith tilted her head. “This has been bothering you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He lifted his wings in a casual shrug.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She sighed and shut her eyes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Faith?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hush I’m thinking.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He hushed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>While she thought he took the opportunity to glance around at his temporary home.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The tree that the crows had chosen to roost in was a beast of a thing that was planted behind an old shrine. It was temporary, Boss had explained, they only really stayed in one place for long periods of time when nesting and that wouldn’t be for months more. But the caretakers of the shrine were old friends of the murder, and liked to leave food for them, so they were lingering.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was a peaceful place, away from a lot of the city noise and light, and Akechi found he didn’t mind it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He flinched when a group of the Murder flew past his branch, laughing about something.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The Murder was bigger than he had thought at first, going over 30 strong for the moment. From those 30, it broke down into individual mobs and family groups that remained independent most of the time.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yami, Kami, Faith, and Boss were a self-made mob of (Except in the brother’s case) unrelated and un-mated birds who had taken a liking to each other.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Boss has a thing for strays.” Kami had shouted over the wind to a shivering Goro as he dangled between him and Yami on the flight over. “Picked us all off our asses and gave us a family. We love that old geezer.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was soon after that that Goro had been dropped so the conversation ended there.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I want your company.” Faith’s voice drew him from his thoughts.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Goro blinked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You asked what I wanted, remember?” She turned so she could level one large black eye on him. “I want your company. That’s all.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“For how long?” He asked warily.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Until you figure out what you want to do.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He glared. “That doesn’t seem very fair to you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well isn’t that up to me?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Goro snapped his beak in irritation, but he didn’t argue with her further. He couldn’t afford to look a gift horse in the mouth.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fine. But if you get bored with me that’s your problem.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She gave a wing shrug. “Well even if you were boring, you are handsome enough for me not to care too much.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He gaped at her and she laughed at him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Close your beak and go to sleep, we start flying lessons in the morning.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With that she pressed close to him, causing Goro to fluff his feathers up in surprise, tucked her head under her wing, and dozed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>After staring at her in stunned silence for much too long, he did as he was told, and for the first time in a long while he had no nightmares.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Falling Up</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“This is starting to get sad.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Goro groaned into the ground in response.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Seriously its been like a week, I’m starting to think you have no actual instincts.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Eat me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well at this point a cat might.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Body protesting, Goro lifted his head to glare at Yami.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Perhaps if I had a competent teacher, I would be making progress.” He crooned sweetly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yami only laughed. “Yeah probably, but you’re stuck with me. Ready to try again?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Goro sighed and carefully stood, ruffling his feathers to try and get some of the dirt off.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Just give me a minute.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yami bobbed his head and set about preening himself.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Goro had to fight the urge to sigh again and started to awkwardly follow Yami’s example.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So far, Goro made for a terrible bird.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>In the past week he was forced to learn basic life skills that, according to Kami, Goro should have just </span>
  <em>
    <span>knew </span>
  </em>
  <span>how to do</span>
  <em>
    <span>.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Seriously it's like raising a chick!” Kami had said dramatically after he realized Goro had no idea how to keep himself clean. “I’m going to start making you call me sire at this rate.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I would rather tear my beak off.” Goro had grumbled in response.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You can always call him daddy instead.” Yami crowed, leading to yet another brawl between the brothers.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Goro was never sure if the two hated or loved each other.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s a bit of both really,” Faith had laughed when he asked her during their nightly chats. “Yami likes to get under his feathers and Kami has a temper so they end up squabbling a lot. But they make the best team because they know one another so well.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Team?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Faith got a glint in her eye that screamed trouble.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Learn to fly and I will show you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That had been the start of the most grueling week of Goro’s life.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Each day a different member of the mob took to teaching Goro how to survive.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Boss had been first.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>After gently coaxing Goro to admit his ignorance about how to live as a wild bird, he had given Goro a crash course in basic survival.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He never asked why Goro knew nothing, and the former human was grateful for it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Aren’t you…” </span>
  <em>
    <span>Suspicious </span>
  </em>
  <span>“Curious?” Goro had ended up asking after a long day of lessons.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Boss had looked at him in a way that made Goro feel very young again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You will tell me when you feel you can, until then I can wait and teach you what you need to know.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The next day Faith had taught him exercises to strengthen his flight muscles and drilled him through them relentlessly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You are a monster,” he growled that night as she snuggled close to him again, jostling his very sore body. “A bloody feathered </span>
  <em>
    <span>menace </span>
  </em>
  <span>that lives to make me suffer.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You say such sweet things Akechi, really a girl might get ideas.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He had half-heartedly pecked at her and she laughed when he almost fell from his branch.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She had simply pressed herself back against his side when he had righted himself and went to sleep.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Goro never had the heart to ask her to stop.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He couldn’t remember the last time anyone had touched him so fondly, so gently, and the greedy part of his heart that longed for the contact absorbed the comfort like a sponge.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Really it wasn’t like he was doing anything wrong anyway. Most of the Murder slept pressed up against one another, preened one another, flew together.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Contact was encouraged, strong bonds made the flock powerful.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But the human part of him still shied away from such open affection.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cuddles with the opposite sex felt like taboo.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He had idly wondered if he would have been more comfortable with it if Faith had been male before forcing himself not to think about it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kami had given him his first flying lesson the very next day, and his entire body screamed in protest as he was asked to leap from the roosting tree over and over again. When Goro thought he couldn’t move another inch, Kami would start to badger him into </span>
  <em>
    <span>more.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Where Yami was playful, Kami was aggressive.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He taunted Goro, drawing out his instinct to fight, to want to prove himself </span>
  <em>
    <span>better.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It worked almost too well.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>For hours Goro climbed to the low branches of the tree, spread his wings, and leapt.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Painfully slowly learned how to work his new body. How to adjust his wings to catch the wind, how to right himself midair so he didn’t crash into the ground, and finally </span>
  <em>
    <span>finally </span>
  </em>
  <span>how to do a basic glide.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>By the time night came his whole body had been one big ache, and he couldn’t stop the exhausted tremors even if he tried, but he had never been prouder of himself in his life.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He had fallen asleep while Faith had preened him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Faith took back over the next day, and his ability to glide increased.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He had been cocky until Yami.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Suddenly there was more to think about then holding steady and keeping himself upright.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Now there was flapping, and Goro wanted to sulk as he failed to gain real altitude.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“A lot of this is muscle memory,” the smaller bird had explained on Goro’s first failed run. “So, the only thing for it is to keep repeating until it sticks.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Joy.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s the spirit! Let’s try again.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yami did every jump with him, and Goro had to admit it helped.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Watching the other bird, copying, and slowly understanding the whys of flight was thrilling in its own way.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Through it all Yami kept up a constant commentary, sometimes about nothing, sometimes simply to tease him, sometimes to talk about his philosophy on life.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The distraction took his mind off his aching body.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yami reminded Goro a bit of Joker if Joker never shut up.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The playfulness, the aerial acrobatics Yami liked to indulge in, the unexpected cleverness all had an edge of familiarity that made his chest ache in different ways.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It made him… homesick.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Goro shook out his feathers. “Let’s try again.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sure thing. Just remember the point is to go </span>
  <em>
    <span>up. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Like. Consistently.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yami dodged his peck with a cackle and flew up to the branch they had been using as a jumping point. Goro, with a mental grimace, followed him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>At least no one had to carry him up the tree anymore.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He was good enough to use his wings in conjunction with his legs to flutter hop his way to his proper place.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    
  </em>
  <span>The wind started to pick up, and Goro automatically fluffed up against it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ve got a good feeling about this one.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yami whispered to him in a conspiratorial tone.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You said that about the last run.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I have no memory of that.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sure, you don’t.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Just remember to think happy thoughts.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With that they jumped and Goro fell into the now familiar feeling of gliding.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The wind started to blow harder.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It's like swimming!” Yami called over. “Pretend the wind is a wave and ride it higher!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It clicked all at once.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Goro adjusted his wings, caught the wind, and went </span>
  <em>
    <span>up.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>YES!</span>
  </em>
  <span>” Yami shrieked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Goro laughed in giddy delight and went up and up and up before something inside took hold and told him to stay at this altitude. Heat was rising from the concrete, thermals keeping him aloft as he got his first view of Tokyo from above.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It looked impossibly big and impossibly small at the same time. Lights and colors and humanity bustling about like ants.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Pretty great right?” Yami crowed to his left, wingtips brushing against his. “Nothing beats flying under your own power.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I have to admit, this is </span>
  <em>
    <span>thrilling.</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yami laughed in delight and dove down, spinning and twirling.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m going to teach you all my tricks,” the bird had enthused as he leveled out next to Goro when he was done showing off. “You will be a flying ace by the time I’m done with you!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I look forward to it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“In that case let’s get to our first lesson!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His tone made Goro wary.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Which would be?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Landing!”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Stealing From the Rich</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Happy Halloween! This chapter is earning its 'Violence' tag so keep that in mind!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Goro hated cats. Especially tiger sized ally cats.</p><p>The stray prowled around him, searching for an opening, reflective eyes glinting rainbows as they caught the scant light in the alley they had tumbled into.</p><p>Goro extended his wings, trying to look bigger, meaner, but the claw marks along his back made holding the position painful.</p><p>He could feel hot blood under his feathers, sluggishly dripping down onto the filthy ground.</p><p>“Back off!” He snarled.</p><p>The cat’s tail twitched, its body low, ready to pounce, waiting for him to try and fly. Goro held his ground, which seemed to throw the creature off for a few precious seconds that allowed him to hop, hover, and lunge legs first.</p><p>He dug his toes into the things face, clenched hard, and he felt unholy delight as he felt something give way under a claw.</p><p>Shrieking in feline rage the cat leapt and twisted like a livewire to try and dislodge him and he clenched harder for a moment before using the force of the cat’s thrashing to gain some distance.</p><p>He had gotten an eye; he idly took note as he fled, wounds screaming with each flap. The cat was howling something pitiful below him as he crashed onto a nearby roof, panting hard, and it looked to be bleeding worse than he was.</p><p>The racket brought a group of the local humans to coo over it, gasping in horror at the wounded eye.</p><p>It was enough to make Goro sick to his stomach.</p><p>The disgusted caw he made caused one of the humans to spot him, and their cheeks went pink with rage.</p><p>Before Goro knew it, he had to take to the air to avoid thrown stones and insults.</p><p>“You nasty bird, picking on poor cats!”</p><p>Goro jeered back rude things in bird.</p><p>Out of the corner of his eye he spotted Yami and Kami, both circling frantically where he had first gone down. He gave a loud alarm call to get their attention.</p><p>“Stay back,” he screamed when they tried to come to him. “Remember the mission. I’m taking over as the distraction.”</p><p>With a dive that would make Yami proud, Goro scratched at the girl who was holding the injured cat. She shrieked as he pulled out strands of hair and screamed in pain as the cat fought her hold to try and clamber up her body to come after him.</p><p>Goro was already out of reach by the time the fool human dropped the flailing cat.</p><p>The racket drew more humans out, leaving the rows of vendors stalls undefended.</p><p>Perfect.</p><p>“Now! Now!” He cawed, dipping low as if he were going to go for the girl again before aborting halfway. A bluff the humans bought as they bowed their heads to avoid being raked by his claws.</p><p>Another false dive later and he heard his signal, and with a final barrage of foul language Goro broke off his attack to join his mob.</p><p>Yami’s eyes were shining when he fell in next to him.</p><p>“That was <em>beautiful </em>flying.”</p><p>Goro felt himself flush in pleasure under his feathers.</p><p>“Learned from the best,” at Yami’s pleased crow Goro turned to the other brother. “Thanks Kami.”</p><p>“OI!”</p><p>The two cackled at Yami’s indignant grumbling, but there wasn’t any bite behind it.</p><p>“How did you guys do?” Goro finally asked when they lapsed into silence.</p><p>Yami laughed, doing a small twirl in midair.</p><p>“See for yourself!”</p><p>Goro dove a bit, ignoring the flair up of pain the action caused, and eyed the treasures the other birds held in their claws.</p><p>Glimmering rings filled with glittering gems sparked a special thrill through his body.</p><p>He had no clue if it was his newfound bird mind that caused a curl of satisfaction at the sight of the shinnies, or a hold over from working with the Phantom Thieves. But he was inordinately pleased with the haul.</p><p>“Perfection, Nana-chan will be happy.”</p><p>The other birds let out squawks of delight as they winged their way back to the roost, flush with victory.</p><p>--</p><p>It had started the day before after another grueling training session.</p><p>Goro and Faith had been eating when something suddenly occurred to him.</p><p>“I have a question.”</p><p>Faith looked up at him, beak full of corn. With a quick toss of her head she swallowed it down and faced him.</p><p>“Don’t you always?” He could hear the smile in her tone. “What is it?”</p><p>Goro nodded at the full bowls of seed and corn that were scattered around the back door of the temple.</p><p>“Who puts all these out?”</p><p>“Ah, I wondered when you would ask.” Faith leapt up to a railing by an open window and Goro followed. She gestured to the open window and he obediently peered inside. It was a small bedroom, comfortable looking and very traditional but plain.</p><p>The only splashes of color and decoration he saw was a traditional Miko outfit, carefully hung up, and a few wall scrolls featuring a three-legged crow.</p><p>“A girl lives here; her name is Nana. She’s a friend.” As if summoned the door that led to the rest of the temple opened and a teenage girl stepped inside. Much like her room, she too was plain looking with medium length black hair and dark eyes. Hers was a face that would easily blend into a crowd, forgettable.</p><p>Nana was wearing a school uniform he didn’t recognize; she must have just been let out of classes. Goro looked up at the sun and make a quick calculation about the time before scoffing at himself. What did it matter what time it was? He no longer obeyed the constructs of it.</p><p><em>Time is relative </em>a voice that reminded him of Mementos echoed through his mind and he quickly crushed the thought.</p><p>He refused to give that thing the satisfaction.</p><p>“Nana feeds us as best as she can,” Faith went on, her voice soft. “She helps our injured, she even raised Yami and Kami both. She named us all.”</p><p>“She raised those two?”</p><p>Faith let out a small, surprised noise.</p><p>“Yami never said anything?”</p><p>“No, he didn’t.” A sudden spike of anxiety made him shuffle in place. “Will he be upset you told me?”</p><p>“It wouldn’t be like him, it’s not something he hides after all.”</p><p>It wasn’t a no, Goro thought.</p><p>A sound of shuffling papers caught both bird’s attention. Nana was pulling out a few heavy textbooks form her school bag, setting them up neatly on her desk, and opening a small journal covered in notes. Curious, Goro hopped closer until he was standing in the window properly so he could try and peer at them.</p><p>The girl didn’t notice him, and he was praising himself for his stealth when Faith leapt up next to him with a loud caw.</p><p>The girl looked up from her work at the sound, surprised, and Goro tensed, ready to flee.</p><p>“Relax,” Faith laughed, “She won’t hurt you.”</p><p>He wanted to laugh at the assumption that he was afraid; he really did. But teenage girls were now four times his size and had opposable thumbs for grabbing, and that was alarming.</p><p>Goro had had nightmares about giants as a child.</p><p>“Faith?” The girl said with a smile.</p><p>Faith let out an affirmative caw.</p><p>“I haven’t seen you in a while! You look well.”</p><p>She turned to Goro with a puzzled frown.</p><p>“I don’t think I’ve met you yet.”</p><p>It took everything Goro had to keep himself from fluffing up in anxiety under her curious eyes.</p><p>He started a bit when Faith ran her beak through his feathers, the motion familiar and soothing.</p><p>“It’s ok.” She cooed softly.</p><p>While all this was going on Nana looked between the two of them curiously, but she didn’t intrude on their space until Faith stopped.</p><p>“You must be new to he flock,” the girl said with a small smile. “I’m Nanako, but my friends call me Nana.”</p><p>Not knowing what else he was supposed to be doing he simply gave a small little bow, which seemed to delight her.</p><p>“Ah, a gentleman. Are you going to keep this one Faith?”</p><p>Goro couldn’t stop the embarrassment that welled up and he gave his chest feathers a quick preen when they started to rise.</p><p>“Well I wouldn’t mind it,” Faith cawed in response. “He <em>is</em> very handsome after all.” And Goro let out a startled squawk.</p><p>The human laughed. “Looks like you said something naughty. Leave the poor fellow alone.”</p><p>“She’s my new favorite.” Goro declared.</p><p>There was something freeing about being able to speak his mind without consequence.</p><p>It was Faith’s turn to let out an offended noise and he laughed at her.</p><p>If birds could pout, he was sure Faith would be.</p><p>The girl tapped her chin as she studied him, and her scrutiny drew his attention back.</p><p>“You have very pretty eyes,” the girl murmured to him. “Such an unusual color though.”</p><p>Were they?</p><p>He tilted his head to the side, hoping his curiosity was conveyed.</p><p>It was.</p><p>The girl smiled and reached into her pocket, pulling out a compact mirror.</p><p>“Want to see?”</p><p>He leaned forward and was very surprised to see <em>his</em> eyes reflected at him.</p><p>The very same shade that they were as a human.</p><p>He blinked. The color stayed the same.</p><p>“In the right light they are almost crimson,” the girl said in apparent admiration. “Should I name you for them?”</p><p>“I already have a name,” he said offhandedly. “Goro Akechi. But I suppose I can handle a nickname.” He let out a croaking laugh. “Not that I can stop you from calling me whatever you want. But between you and me getting another new name makes me wary. The last nickname I received got me into quite a bit of trouble.”</p><p>The human’s smile was one of polite bemusement.</p><p>“I caught none of that, so I am going to take that as a no.”</p><p>“That was more of a “Do what you want” really.”</p><p>“I will be sure to come up with something dignified.”</p><p>“That would be appreciated.”</p><p>She laughed. “You’re a chatty one, you remind me of Yami.”</p><p>Goro did his best to pin her with the most offended glare he could manage.</p><p>The girl’s smile turned wry and she turned back to her desk. After a moment of rummaging in the drawers she pulled out a small bag of what looked like fruit.</p><p>“Bribe for your love?”</p><p>She held out her hand, and in her palm were dried cherries. Faith eagerly snapped one up with a pleased trill, and Goro delicately took one for himself with as much dignity he could muster.</p><p>“Gentleman.” The human teased and he ignored her while he ate with small bites.</p><p>As a human he had never really appreciated the sweetness of fruit, as a bird he was near obsessed. Still he had manners unlike some people. He glared as Faith eyed his half-eaten cherry and quickly finished it before she got any ideas.</p><p>“Keep your beak to yourself.” He hissed.</p><p>“I didn’t do anything!”</p><p>“But you were going to.”</p><p>Nana smiled at them both. “I can tell you’re bickering like an old married couple, should I expect chicks from you two this spring?”</p><p>At that Goro turned his back on the laughing duo and flew back to the tree.</p><p>Females, he decided, were insane.</p><p>--</p><p>Faith joined him again a few minutes later.</p><p>“You should have stayed; Nana gave me more cherries.”</p><p>Goro rolled his eyes. “And <em>you</em> could have brought me one instead of eating them all like a greedy pigeon.”</p><p>She slapped him with a wing. “Yeah right, like I’m giving up cherries. They are my favorite.” Her croaking laugher turned sly. “Not even you are handsome enough for me to give them up.”</p><p>He fluffed up in embarrassment.</p><p>He never knew what to do when she said such things.</p><p>“Nana-chan seems generous.” He finally said.</p><p>Faith bobbed her head. “She is. Its why we try and help her in return.”</p><p>Goro tilted his head. “How?”</p><p>“Remember when I mentioned Yami and Kami being a team?”</p><p>“Vaguely.”</p><p>Faith took a very sudden interest in her claws, curling her toes up for inspection.</p><p>“Well,” she started. Voice casual. “For all her help, the Murder likes to bring things to Nana.”</p><p>It clicked all at once.</p><p>“You steal for her.”</p><p>Faith inspected her other foot.</p><p>“I do prefer to call it borrowing without asking.”</p><p>“Is that where you all go when you aren’t working with me?”</p><p>Faith laughed. “Not always, but most of the time. We don’t have to look too hard for food thanks to Nana, so that leaves a lot of our day free.”</p><p>Goro’s eyes narrowed. “And Nana encourages this?”</p><p>“Hell no,” he could hear the grin in her tone. “She used to beg us to stop even, but she gave up after a while, especially when we started stealing the things she tried to give away back to her.” Faith gave him a very firm stare. Large black eye serious. “Her family isn’t good at caring for her and Nana used to go hungry trying to feed us. At this point she is flock and we always take care of our own.”</p><p>Something inside Goro softened.</p><p>“That doesn’t seem to be the case now, she seems ok.”</p><p>Faith bobbed her head, looking proud. “Yes, we find valuable things and she trades them for resources. It took us a while to learn what would be best, but Yami is clever about human things, he figured it out. Now we all eat well.”</p><p>Goro sighed. “And now you want me to help you.”</p><p>“Well yes, I would like for you to help us, but I won’t make you. It’s your choice. Yami says you are able to fly on your own now, and Boss says you know enough keep yourself alive if you have to.” She looked away from him. “You could leave, if you wanted, and survive.”</p><p>“Are you throwing me out if I don’t agree?”</p><p>Faith have him a sharp look. “No, we don’t do that to family.”</p><p>The word ‘family’ caused a whirl of emotions that Goro had no idea how to handle.</p><p>“Even if I sit around all day getting fat?”</p><p>She laughed so hard she almost fell from the branch. “Yes, even then. Family isn’t what you do for one another Akechi, it’s a bond made of love.” She smacked him with a wing. “But I might stop calling you handsome if you get too round.”</p><p>He started to shiver, torn between laughing and the bird equivalent of crying. Faith wordlessly comforted him by pressing against his side. Presence steady and sure.</p><p>“I… I think I want to help.”</p><p>He finally croaked.</p><p>“I thought you might,” Faith trilled.</p><p>And so, they taught him to steal.</p><p>--</p><p>“You should be the one to give the horde to Nana-chan.” Yami croaked, Kami nodding in agreement. “We would have failed without you.”</p><p>Goro had protested until Faith had ordered him to go.</p><p>“She can take care of those scratches for you. Besides, we all know how you feel about praise.”</p><p> “You can all drop dead.”</p><p>They only cackled at him and flew back to the roost, leaving him alone in front of Nana’s bedroom window. It was closed this time, but there was still a light on inside, so he gave a few polite taps to get her attention.</p><p>It took only a few minutes for her to open it for him.</p><p>The look the girl gave him was exasperated, yet fond as she took in the sight of him perched comfortably on top of the small pile of jewelry.</p><p>“So, you have been roped into this too.”</p><p>She shook her head when he cawed the affirmative.</p><p>“I wish you guys wouldn’t… but thank you.” She reached out carefully, and he held still as her fingers found his feathers, gently stroking along his back. He flinched when she passed over his scratches and she frowned at his reaction.</p><p>The frown deepened when she found blood on her fingers.</p><p>“Just a scratch.” He crooned soothingly as she gently parted his feathers to take a better look. “I’ve had so much worse. Cats have nothing on shadows, even ones the size of this fucker.”</p><p>“I’m putting something on this,” she murmured, pulling out a small first aid kit with a childish drawing of a crow on its side. “Don’t bite me.”</p><p>“You are mistaking me for Kami.”</p><p>“Don’t bite.” She repeated firmly and he cringed as she cleaned his wounds carefully.</p><p>He didn’t try to bite.</p><p>The animal part of his brain really wanted to.</p><p>It was over quickly, to his relief, and she gently stroked his chest feathers in a pleasant way when she was done.</p><p>“Please be more careful in the future, my brave Robin Hood.”</p><p>He froze, and somewhere deep inside him, he felt his Persona stir for the first time in almost a month.</p><p>--</p>
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